Edmonton Oilers forward Ales Hemsky back at practice fresh off Olympics as trade talk heats up

Photos: Edmonton Oilers practice (Feb. 24, 2014)

Edmonton goaltender Ben Scrivens (30) is seen during an Edmonton Oilers practice held at Rexall Place in Edmonton, Alta., on Monday, Feb. 24, 2014. The NHL hockey team plays the Minnesota Wild at home on Thursday, Feb. 27, 2014 at 7:30pm. Ian Kucerak/Edmonton Sun/QMI Agency

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Edmonton goaltender Ben Scrivens (30) is seen during an Edmonton Oilers practice held at Rexall Place in Edmonton, Alta., on Monday, Feb. 24, 2014. The NHL hockey team plays the Minnesota Wild at home on Thursday, Feb. 27, 2014 at 7:30pm. Ian Kucerak/Edmonton Sun/QMI Agency

IAN KUCERAK/EDMONTON SUN QMI AGENCY

Edmonton forward Luke Gazdic (20) smiles during an Edmonton Oilers practice held at Rexall Place in Edmonton, Alta., on Monday, Feb. 24, 2014. The NHL hockey team plays the Minnesota Wild at home on Thursday, Feb. 27, 2014 at 7:30pm. Ian Kucerak/Edmonton Sun/QMI Agency

IAN KUCERAK/EDMONTON SUN QMI AGENCY

Edmonton head coach Dallas Eakins directs his players during an Edmonton Oilers practice held at Rexall Place in Edmonton, Alta., on Monday, Feb. 24, 2014. The NHL hockey team plays the Minnesota Wild at home on Thursday, Feb. 27, 2014 at 7:30pm. Ian Kucerak/Edmonton Sun/QMI Agency

Edmonton forward David Perron (57) is seen during an Edmonton Oilers practice held at Rexall Place in Edmonton, Alta., on Monday, Feb. 24, 2014. The NHL hockey team plays the Minnesota Wild at home on Thursday, Feb. 27, 2014 at 7:30pm. Ian Kucerak/Edmonton Sun/QMI Agency

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Edmonton fforward Jesse Joensuu (6) skates during an Edmonton Oilers practice held at Rexall Place in Edmonton, Alta., on Monday, Feb. 24, 2014. The NHL hockey team plays the Minnesota Wild at home on Thursday, Feb. 27, 2014 at 7:30pm. Ian Kucerak/Edmonton Sun/QMI Agency

IAN KUCERAK/EDMONTON SUN QMI AGENCY

Players, including forward Luke Gazdic (left) and forward Sam Gagner (centre) speak with assistant coach Kelly Buchberger (left) during an Edmonton Oilers practice held at Rexall Place in Edmonton, Alta., on Monday, Feb. 24, 2014. The NHL hockey team plays the Minnesota Wild at home on Thursday, Feb. 27, 2014 at 7:30pm. Ian Kucerak/Edmonton Sun/QMI Agency

IAN KUCERAK/EDMONTON SUN QMI AGENCY

Edmonton forward Ryan Nugent-Hopkins (93) shoots the puck during an Edmonton Oilers practice held at Rexall Place in Edmonton, Alta., on Monday, Feb. 24, 2014. The NHL hockey team plays the Minnesota Wild at home on Thursday, Feb. 27, 2014 at 7:30pm. Ian Kucerak/Edmonton Sun/QMI Agency

IAN KUCERAK/EDMONTON SUN QMI AGENCY

Edmonton forward Ryan Smyth (94) practices deflections during an Edmonton Oilers practice held at Rexall Place in Edmonton, Alta., on Monday, Feb. 24, 2014. The NHL hockey team plays the Minnesota Wild at home on Thursday, Feb. 27, 2014 at 7:30pm. Ian Kucerak/Edmonton Sun/QMI Agency

IAN KUCERAK/EDMONTON SUN QMI AGENCY

Edmonton goaltender Ben Scrivens (left) speaks with assistant coach Kelly Buchberger during an Edmonton Oilers practice held at Rexall Place in Edmonton, Alta., on Monday, Feb. 24, 2014. The NHL hockey team plays the Minnesota Wild at home on Thursday, Feb. 27, 2014 at 7:30pm. Ian Kucerak/Edmonton Sun/QMI Agency

IAN KUCERAK/EDMONTON SUN QMI AGENCY

Edmonton forward Sam Gagner (89) is seen during an Edmonton Oilers practice held at Rexall Place in Edmonton, Alta., on Monday, Feb. 24, 2014. The NHL hockey team plays the Minnesota Wild at home on Thursday, Feb. 27, 2014 at 7:30pm. Ian Kucerak/Edmonton Sun/QMI Agency

IAN KUCERAK/EDMONTON SUN QMI AGENCY

Edmonton forward Nail Yakupov (64) skates during an Edmonton Oilers practice held at Rexall Place in Edmonton, Alta., on Monday, Feb. 24, 2014. The NHL hockey team plays the Minnesota Wild at home on Thursday, Feb. 27, 2014 at 7:30pm. Ian Kucerak/Edmonton Sun/QMI Agency

IAN KUCERAK/EDMONTON SUN QMI AGENCY

Edmonton defenceman Anton Belov (77) and forward Taylor Hall (4) leave the ice during an Edmonton Oilers practice held at Rexall Place in Edmonton, Alta., on Monday, Feb. 24, 2014. The NHL hockey team plays the Minnesota Wild at home on Thursday, Feb. 27, 2014 at 7:30pm. Ian Kucerak/Edmonton Sun/QMI Agency

IAN KUCERAK/EDMONTON SUN QMI AGENCY

Edmonton forward Nail Yakupov (64) take a shot during an Edmonton Oilers practice held at Rexall Place in Edmonton, Alta., on Monday, Feb. 24, 2014. The NHL hockey team plays the Minnesota Wild at home on Thursday, Feb. 27, 2014 at 7:30pm. Ian Kucerak/Edmonton Sun/QMI Agency

IAN KUCERAK/EDMONTON SUN QMI AGENCY

Edmonton defenceman Mark Fraser (5) moves the puck during an Edmonton Oilers practice held at Rexall Place in Edmonton, Alta., on Monday, Feb. 24, 2014. The NHL hockey team plays the Minnesota Wild at home on Thursday, Feb. 27, 2014 at 7:30pm. Ian Kucerak/Edmonton Sun/QMI Agency

IAN KUCERAK/EDMONTON SUN QMI AGENCY

Edmonton forward Luke Gazdic (20) jokes with forward Sam Gagner (89) during an Edmonton Oilers practice held at Rexall Place in Edmonton, Alta., on Monday, Feb. 24, 2014. The NHL hockey team plays the Minnesota Wild at home on Thursday, Feb. 27, 2014 at 7:30pm. Ian Kucerak/Edmonton Sun/QMI Agency

IAN KUCERAK/EDMONTON SUN QMI AGENCY

Edmonton forward Ryan Nugent-Hopkins (93) and forward Nail Yakupov (64) clown around during an Edmonton Oilers practice held at Rexall Place in Edmonton, Alta., on Monday, Feb. 24, 2014. The NHL hockey team plays the Minnesota Wild at home on Thursday, Feb. 27, 2014 at 7:30pm. Ian Kucerak/Edmonton Sun/QMI Agency

Topics

Ales Hemsky returned from the Olympics, but the remaining length of his stay in Edmonton is to be determined.

With the March 5 NHL trade deadline approaching, the Edmonton Oilers winger is once again at the centre of speculation.

“Every year they talk about trades and it’s something I can’t control,” Hemsky said following his first practice with the Oilers Monday. “I just came back two days ago and I haven’t thought about it. To be honest, I’m just going to play until the deadline, see what happens and enjoy my moment.”

The Oilers attempted to move Hemsky this off-season but were unsuccessful.

With a $5-million price tag, Hemsky is not a cheap ticket, which may account for the Oilers inability to consummate a deal this summer.

Yet, the talented winger still has some offensive upside, with seven goals and 24 assists in 52 games this season.

He was skating on a line with Sam Gagner and Jordan Eberle at practice Monday, which could be dubbed the Showcase Line as the Oilers resume their schedule Thursday, hosting the Minnesota Wild.

Gagner and Eberle have also come up as possible trade bait for the Oilers this year.

“It’s been a constant battle this year with the lines,” said Oilers head coach Dallas Eakins. “(David) Perron is a top-six guy for me, Hemmer is a top-six guy and there are other guys that we can also put on (Boyd) Gordon’s line.

“The more we talked about it over the break, we want to get Perron back there, I think he’s maybe a better fit with those guys than Hemmer and the one thing that we haven’t done with Hemmer this year is put him over on that left side. He says he’s comfortable there, he can play anywhere that we want him to. That’s the great thing with Ales this year, he’s done what we’ve asked of him so he’s got no problem going over there and we’ll see how it goes. As always, you put your lines together and sometimes you get three minutes into the game and sometimes you’re shaking them. But that’s how we’ll start, and we’ll see how it goes.”

Eakins denied moving Hemsky up in the lineup was a move to display his talents for possible suitors.

For the majority of the season, Hemsky has been playing a bottom-six role for the Oilers, with the likes of Taylor Hall, Ryan Nugent-Hopkins, Eberle, Perron, Gagner, and of late, Nail Yakupov playing ahead of him.

But with a strong outing at the Olympics, Eakins is hoping Hemsky can carry that over towards his remaining days with the Oilers, however many of them there may be.

“We’re looking for him to use his speed,” Eakins said. “He’s been good for us with his habits defensively this year. We want him to continue that with Gags (Gagner) and Eberle. It brings a little bit more speed to the line, and hopefully, Ales can pick up right where he was in the last couple of games of the Olympics. I didn’t see him play, but I heard that he played very well.”

Hemsky, 30, finished with three goals and an assist in five games with the Czech Republic in Sochi. The Czechs were bounced out of the tournament in the qualification round, losing 5-2 to the United States.

It was Hemsky’s second Olympic experience, having participated in the 2006 Turin Games. He was injured for the 2010 tournament in Vancouver.

“It was great, they did a really good job, everything was set up nice, the rinks were nice, the building where we stayed was really good,” Hemsky said. “It was a good experience, it was lots of fun.

“I played a little different role there than I do here. I played with a lot of good players. It’s always fun, but now I’m back here and I don’t know what will happen in the next week.”

The roster freeze, which took place during the Olympics, has been lifted. And as was the case prior to the hiatus, talk of possible player movement is expected to heat up.

“I don’t even know if it’s possible to block it out,” Eakins said. “If you’re a pro, you can play and have chatter around you. It’s part of the game.

“There is so much going on now. The rumours, the social media, everything travels so quickly. I’m not sure you can block it out, but you certainly have to deal with it. It’s just part of the game. I think some guys have the tools and are better equipped how to do it and others don’t.”

Edmonton Oilers forward Ales Hemsky back at practice fresh off Olympics as trade talk heats up

Ales Hemsky returned from the Olympics, but the remaining length of his stay in Edmonton is to be determined.

With the March 5 NHL trade deadline approaching, the Edmonton Oilers winger is once again at the centre of speculation.

“Every year they talk about trades and it’s something I can’t control,” Hemsky said following his first practice with the Oilers Monday. “I just came back two days ago and I haven’t thought about it. To be honest, I’m just going to play until the deadline, see what happens and enjoy my moment.”

The Oilers attempted to move Hemsky this off-season but were unsuccessful.

With a $5-million price tag, Hemsky is not a cheap ticket, which may account for the Oilers inability to consummate a deal this summer.

Yet, the talented winger still has some offensive upside, with seven goals and 24 assists in 52 games this season.

He was skating on a line with Sam Gagner and Jordan Eberle at practice Monday, which could be dubbed the Show

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Photos: Edmonton Oilers practice (Feb. 24, 2014)

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